Christmas Day, continued 
:
With Manta now scratched off the to-do list
(though the guys left the door open to return again later…time permitting, of course), my boys wanted to ensure that I had a chance to hit up an attraction of
my choosing. Without further adieu, we proceeded straight to Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin
.
On the way, we took in all the little decorative touches and holiday décor. Christmas music was playing throughout the park and it just felt so ridiculously festive!
(well, except for the fact that it was 85 degrees 
)
The gardens, the lamp posts, and yes, even the animal statues were all decked out in their holiday finery! The crowds, though, were still delightfully light, and as we made our way toward Antarctica it felt as if we had the whole park to ourselves.
Note some of SeaWorld’s little touches…..they even added a “Happy Holidays from SeaWorld” arrow to the bottom of the Antarctica distance markers. I wonder how many other people take the time to notice those small details?
Crowd photos!
I can never seem to get pictures of this area without people walking in front of me. It was almost deserted on this morning, though, so I was finally able to get a clear shot!
I love the theming of this area…..it’s just so well carried out
.
After multiple visits to SeaWorld, we knew this attraction was only going to get busier and busier as the day wore on as the penguins are some of the most beloved animals in the park. Even with Quick Queue, wait times can get lengthy later in the day. As we approached the attraction entrance, we were happy to note only a 10 minute standby time, and no line at all for Quick Queue guests. We had less than a minute to chat with the TM manning the door to the attraction before we were ushered inside!
Before proceeding to the actual ride itself, guests begin in a main room where they feature a short movie about the star of Antarctica: Puck, the baby penguin.
Then, the doors open and you are directed into a central area where you choose between the “mild” and “wild” versions of the ride. Having done both before on prior visits (and finding the experience itself not enhanced in the slightest with the “wild “ version…..it’s just a bunch of herky-jerky movements of the ride vehicle) we opted for the mild version as literally everyone else opted for the wild side. And yay! We got a whole car all to ourselves!
The end of the ride is always our favourite though……surprisingly cold (even for us hearty northerners!) but so worth a good case of the goosebumps: dozens and dozens of the most entertaining penguins!
Steve was sure that this little fella was posing for me. He waddled right up, spread his little flippers out, and just stood there as if to say…..TAKE MY PICTURE!
(he did everything but say…ta-da!)
When we couldn’t stand the cold any longer, we moved onward to the underwater viewing area to watch them swim. Penguins are surprisingly graceful and so, so fast!!
Eventually, it was time to peel ourselves away from all the cuteness and carry on with our must-do list of attractions. Since we were in the general vicinity, it seemed most logical to next tackle Kraken while the park was still so peaceful and quiet. It was getting very, very warm as the sun rose higher into the sky
, and we could feel the humidity growing right along with the heat (a stark contrast from Antarctica!). To ensure we all kept well hydrated over the course of the day, we all decided some cold beverages were in order. Since I, of course, had no interest in riding this coaster either, I went in search of drinks while the boys dashed off to the Kraken entrance.
Perusing the options at the High Seas Market (located between Kraken and Journey to Atlantis), it became very apparent that our best deal was going to be the all-day souvenir drink cup. Not only was the price very budget-friendly ($12.99 plus tax and less our AP discount), the top of the cup had a nice little carry handle that was going to make it easy to tote around throughout the day. I filled it with lemonade while having the nicest chat with the lovely young lady who was working the till, and $12.45 later I was off to locate my boys with our snazzy orange cup in tow.
Heading over to the Kraken entrance, I noticed that some SW team members had the area blocked off. I leaned an ear towards the conversation of the small group that had gathered there and learned that Kraken, apparently, did not open until 10 am. If that’s the case, then where are my guys?
I barely had time to think that very thought when I heard the familiar call of the boy: “HEY MOM!....followed by
“Oh thank God…you have drinks!” as he bounced up beside me . I allowed both of them the opportunity to slurp down some of the lemonade before inquiring….where on earth did you guys go? Turns out that they had reached the Kraken entrance to find it closed, and then made the split second decision to hit up Journey to Atlantis instead. Steve, who LOVES this ride, had been trying to get Jake to join him on it for YEARS, but it was either under refurb during our visits or Jake didn’t want to get wet. I’m not sure what changed his mind on this particular trip, but he was all a-twitter between gulps of the drink and was raving about how much fun it was. Steve, of course, was quick to remind him….”I told you so!”
.
We popped over to the Journey to Atlantis photo kiosk to have their ride picture added to our Photokey. They had the whole boat to themselves, which doesn’t happen often.
Much, much coming up….it’s only 10 am!!
. Someday I'd like to meet her husband. He's got to be a very special guy indeed 
.
. If I ever need to call on you, you can be assured that the drinks at the Tacky Tiki Bar will be on me. I might even buy you one in a coconut monkey 
That was harsh!
) 
to our crazy thread! Feel free to jump right in and take part in our (often off-topic but oh-so-entertaining) chatter! 
We haven't done Sea World in many years-last time was in San Antonio at least 14 years ago. And Manta-well I've got a few thrill seekers in my family and if your thrill seekers say this is the best coaster...won't have to twist arms too much!
. They do humour me, though, with all my pre-trip planning babble and I'm eternally grateful to them for that. I am certain, though, that some days they thank God for the Dis community so that they get a break from all my enthusiasm 
